Re: Pirate Radio Stations Challenge Feds

[snip]

I agree that it doesn't require a *broadcast* license from the FCC.

Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, it doesn't require "permission of music copyright holders." But it does require a "compulsory license" from U.S. Copyright Office. It also requires payment of a copyright royalty fee of 0.07 cents ($0.0007) per "performance" per internet listener.

That may not sound like much, but if 100 listeners listen to 10 songs over the course of one hour, the originator owes the Copyright Office $0.70. Extrapolate that over a year, and the originator owes over $6,000.

Licensed non-commercial broadcast stations get a break for internet streaming if (and only if) the stream is concurrent with the broadcast. This exception allows WCPE (a non-commercial station owned by a non-profit corporation) to continue streaming. But WFMT (which holds a commercial license even though it's owned by a non-profit corporation) is subject to the full royalty fee. Which is why WFMT now charges internet listeners.

Neal McLain

[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Although WFMT chooses to charge internet listeners, most other classical stations do not access that charge. For example, KOSU/KOSN our classical music station here in southeast Kansas continues to stream totally free of any charge, and while they were operating, WNIB in Chicago likewise made no charge for their music. PAT] read more and respond »

Posted 5 years ago by Neal McLain in General Telecommunications Forum

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